This invention relates to weight lifting, and in particular, to a weightlifting system with safety cage that can be configured into a compact size when not in use, e.g., for storage.
Weight lifting continues to increase in popularity. Today, weight lifting attracts participants having varying ages, abilities and goals. Participants seek both the general health benefits and the sports-specific performance gains that can be achieved through a disciplined weight training program. Many participants belong to health clubs that typically have a wide array of weight lifting equipment. Others prefer to exercise in their homes, e.g., because of convenience, cost or schedule.
Although high quality and effective weight lifting equipment is available, such equipment is usually too large and too expensive for most people to use in their home. A typical equipment line usually includes at least several pieces, with each piece being specifically designed for performing a single exercise. Thus, outfitting a home with an adequate array of this equipment is usually too expensive and requires too much space.
Some exercise systems have an integrated apparatus such that a variety of different exercises can be performed, but the apparatus takes up less space than individual pieces dedicated to a single exercise. Some of these systems, including, e.g., Bowflex, BodySmith, and Hoist are marketed for home users. In such systems, the resistance used for exercises is usually provided by tension elements or stacked weight plates. Some users, however, prefer the additional benefits of exercising with free weights (i.e., traditional barbells and plates) because doing so improves coordination and balance, as well as strength and endurance.
In a club environment, a participant performing a potentially dangerous lift with free weights (such as, e.g., a bench press or military press) can often locate someone to serve as a spotter. Some clubs also have “safety cages” designed to prevent a loaded barbell from crushing the user in the event of a failed lift. These safety cages allow users to perform the exercises safely without the assistance of a spotter. The safety cages found in clubs, however, are rigid structures, and they cannot be adapted for use in a full array of exercises nor conveniently reconfigured in a compact position.
It would be advantageous to provide a full-featured weight lifting system having an integrated safety cage suitable for using free weights in a wide range of exercises, yet able to be configured in a compact position, e.g., for storage in the home.